Eagle's Wing (1979)

White Bull (Sam Waterston), a Kiowa warrior, was out raiding.  He and his fellow warriors spotted several Comanche.  The Kiowa attacked, overcoming most of the Comanche but the leader, who was mounted on a magnificent white horse - Eagle's Wing, easily outran White Bull's horse.  Though the leader escaped, he died from the arrow wound he suffered.

Henry (Harvey Keitel) and Pike (Martin Sheen) were a pair of American trappers.  Henry was an old hand, having worked as a trapper for several years.  By contrast, Pike was a recent recruit, an Army deserter who sought a new start in the wilds.  Henry and Pike had a contentious relationship because Pike was too fond of drinking and not a diligent enough worker.  Henry expected to rendezvous with Comanche for trade, but the Comanche didn't show.  Instead, White Bull's band of Kiowa attacked, stealing horses, pelts, and most of the gear.

Elsewhere, Judith (Caroline Langrishe) rode in a funeral procession with her brother, a Mexican gentleman, a lady, and her servants.  Her brother was a priest who had sent for her from Ireland.  Judith spoke no Spanish.  The lady wore black as the procession was for her husband.  They were bound for her brother-in-law's hacienda when White Bull's band attacked.  White Bull took everything of value, including Judith.

Two Comanche warriors arrived at a burial ground to find their shaman was dead.  His woman told how a white man stole Eagle's Wing while the shaman was presiding over the chief's funeral.  The pair nod gravely and immediately departed to exact justice.

Judith's brother arrived at the hacienda and raised the alarm about the attack.  Soon, a band of vaqueros rode forth to rescue the widow and exact justice on the Kiowa.

The setting is uncertain.  Trappers were generally searching for beaver, which is not common in the desert.  The market for such furs crashed in the late 1830s, so one supposes this takes place before that.  The Kiowa and the Comanche would most likely clash in Oklahoma and North Texas.  Pike talks about going south to Mexico or north to Canada, implying he is not currently in either.  It was filmed in Durango, Mexico, which stood in for Texas in Texas Rising.

White Bull is inscrutable.  At one point, he has gold, jewelry, wine, a captive, and Eagle's Wing.  His only threat is Pike, whom he repeatedly refused to kill when given the opportunity.  Why?  Of course, he doesn't speak English and rarely utters a word in his own tongue.  When he does, there is no subtitle translation for it.  It becomes clear that he was trying to buy Pike off by leaving each treasure except the horse, but Pike would not settle.

Pike is a directionless man, a wanderer who happened to fall into this story.  When he got his hands on Eagle's Wing, the horse became his identity.  When he lost it to White Bull, recovering the horse became his sole goal.  It did not matter that a fortune in jewels and gold was offered, he would rather risk life and limb for Eagle's Wing.  Why?  What strange power does this horse have over men?

Mostly, this is a contest between White Bull and Pike to see who will ride Eagle's Wing.  The other characters add color and variety to the story.  It is not your usual Western, but still entertaining.